After meeting with Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla at his office, the governor told a press conference that the assistance would be channeled through JBIC on the recommendation of the Official Development Assistance (ODA).

Tanami said that Indonesian Vice President welcomed the plan.

“Because the global issue of environment is very important, the JBIC vowed to be ready for helping Indonesia persistently in this field, and Jusuf Kalla was very glad,” he said.

Tanami said that the assistance would be directed to the forest protection and rehabilitation in Indonesia.

“Indonesia needs rehabilitation of its forest and JBIC will help,” he said.

But Tanami declined to elaborate on the amount of the aid, saying that it would depend on how much Indonesia needs.

“Kalla said Indonesia has a large tropical forest and its destruction is persistent. And the Indonesian government would continue rehabilitation,” Tanami said.

Forest fire and illegal logging are to blame for the forest destruction in Indonesia. In 2006, forest fire swept over 35,000 hectares of land across the country, sending smokes to neighboring countries and incurring criticism from ASEAN member countries.

The government plans to plant 100 million threes by 2009 to recover the burned lands.